Hey guys, I need suggestions. I want a bullet proof bashing buggy. I will not be racing it but will run it at the track now and then. It has to be nitro. My first thought was the hpi d8s. The reason being is my friends vorza is indestructible. I didn't want to spend $400 for the hot bodies roller and then still need to equip it. The hip is rtr for $450 shipped "my max budget". Only problem is it looks very slow in the videos I've seen. I think with the weight it carries the .21 is not enough engine for it. Their Trophy 4.6 buggy has the engine, but looks weaker.. what are your suggestions? I've looked at the hyper 7 but it doesn't look as tough as the d8s. Its looking like my only option is d8s with eventual engine swap or the hot bodies roller which I don't want to be in that price range to complete it.

If I were looking for an RTR for that budget, I'd probably be looking at this: [link=http://www.amainhobbies.com/index.php/cPath/1_44_48_2637/n/RC-Cars-Trucks-Kits-Nitro-1-8-Buggy-Ready-to-Run]RC8RS[/link]

if i was going to buy a bashin buggy it would be the hyper 7
because if your part of the towerhobbies super saver club you can get one for $250 and you just cant beat that price and that would leave you $200 for servos/ upgrades/ spare parts/ or a new engine. tho its fine out of the box for bashing other then the steering servo but thats with any RTR realy
of course the hyper 7 has been around for years and years its a proven tough RC and parts are everywhere

id stay away from the hpi trophy series from what ive read there not the strongest RC's around

now the D8S is the RTR version of the HB-D8 like you said.  its a strong buggy but if your thinking of a engine upgrade right away id buy the kit version.  tho id still go with the hyper 7 if your just going to bash it why spend the extra when the hyper is as strong as any other buggy out there

It's true the stock hyper 7 is a tank.

Well I understand in this price range everyone raves about the hyper 7. I know it will be great for the money, I'm just not sure it can handle the brutality that the d8s can. That was really my main reason for being interested in it. Also, if that's what I wind up getting, I wouldn't be engine swapping right away. I was just saying if nothing else came up, I could see me getting it and eventually going bigger in the engine dept. The associated I've never seen. I know their reputation on the track, but Foxy do you really think it's a contender with what's available today in this price range?

JQ's THE car RTR or the KYOSHO MP7.5 would be top of my list. Both are top notch race animals.[>:]

In terms of durability, yes, its legendary. The d8 or the associated would be better on a track out of the box of course, but the hyper 7's as tough as they come. I owned one years ago, never broke a thing.

To be honest, everyone is right about the hyper 7, It'll take it over and over...and parts are in abundance, most race breeds just wont take bashing on extreme levels.. Yes racing can be more brutal than bashing at times, and parts are more expensive for race breeds.

Ok so it looks like the hyper 7 is the top spot right now. Will research a few other details about it. Thanks for the responses. This was my first inquiry into a new vehicle. It won't be purchased overnight, I don't do anything that way but hopefully soon.

Yes, do your homework and research, find the buggy YOU like best, based on parts support, style, anything!!...I'm sure you know this, but dont buy something because somebody tells you to. Find the features you know you will like, and make your decision. Let us know what animal you get!!

Yes I will check into it further and I do appreciate the responses. Like I said I will not be racing so I'm not looking for a race spec buggy. Honestly the Losi 810 would be perfect but unfortunately besides the fact it's been discontinued, I'm not a fan of its smaller size. I also understand everything can break, I just want something that will shrug off bad landings and cart wheels without instantly breaking something. As I said earlier, my friends Vorza is a battle tank which is what originally led me to the d8s. Just seems its not fast enough.

Most of the 8th scales are all pretty tough, unless its those flea market ones...like redcat to name one..lol

I recently purchased a Duratrax 835B and so far after breaking in the engine I am still impressed with this as a basher buggy. It has all the quality settings of more expensive RTRs plus a 1 year stress tech gaurentee on the suspension parts.I can set almost everything on the buggy but a rear suspension spacer for traction.The steering servo is a digital and turns the wheelsevenwhen on the groundwhich is rare for somethinglikethis. It is almostfully adjustable except rear toe settings. It has both front and rear droop settings, Aluminum Shocks with dial settings instead of spacers. I am still impressed with it and would recommend it is an inexpensive Buggy Basher. I generally do not suggestinexpensive stuff unlessI would own on myself.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...509**&P=ML

PM me and I can send you more information.

After hearing horror stories I do not think I would ever own a Redcat R/C

Haha....ouch you hit me right where it hurts! If you couldn't tell by my sig, I'm a fan of Redcats. To me as long as you expect what you should from something in that price range, it's all good. My Monsoon is a beast. When it's run right it holds up well. Running it around the track it has no problems. The 6 foot jump I was repeatedly hitting in a construction site didn't last too long. Like I said though, I'm not new to RC and understand the difference between entry level equipment and higher end stuff. But I do understand what you mean.

Since I have never seen a Redcat run I cannot really bash them other than horror stories I have read online about supportthan also buyingpartsfor them. We do not have any local dealers any where in Colorado so it may be different where you are. My closest LHSonly sells parts for Losi and Traxxas. Ihave others in town further away that sell moreparts for AE and other manufactures so I buy most of my stuff online.

So I decided to read areview on them fromBig Squid R/C. I do like their reviews because they are honest. I never bash a product without owning one. But will read reviews on them.

The HPITruggy Trophy 4.6 I bought this winter I will bash the heck out of the quality of this truggy. It was not the quality I was looking for in a $460 buck RTR. The Duratrax 835B is for the $269.00 I paid for it. Sent you a PMon this if you want to look at them.

http://www.bigsquidrc.com/redcat-monsoon-xte-review/

I read there view and have read several posts like that in the Redcat section before. I have the XTR which is the same chassis, just nitro version. I won't sugar coat it, I have defended Redcat before and will again for what it is. Biggest problem is their price point. Their 10th scale models start out really low. Many of them around $170 shipped rtr. This of course attracts new people with no experience. The biggest issue I've had is the build quality. I had a nitro Tornado S30 awhile back. It was super cheap "around $150 shipped". I tore it apart and reassembled it right. That thing took a beating. The stock SH .18 was a great engine for it. All I've read is how crappy they were, how they just broke for no reason. Now given I wasn't trying to just torture it, but I drove it moderately hard and it did just fine. I picked up a used Caldera 10e "brushless monster truck" for my son who was 8 at the time. It did strip diffs gears pretty easily but once I replaced them with hardened gears it was fine. That truck retails for about $220 new rtr brushless, and it's a stretched 10th or shortened 8th "however you want to look at it". So anyway, for people like, it works. I'm a dad and have a household to run. Unfortunately buying $500 or $600 rc cars at the drop of a hat aren't in my budget.

The thing to remember about Redcat is that they are cheap. For what you pay, they aren't bad at all. There's a line of hopups and spares are easy enough to find. It's not fair comparing them to much more expensive cars.

By the way, I was at the LHS today and had a look at the D8S up close and personal. I must say I'm impressed. Nice car, if that's the one that tickles your fancy, go for it, the engine is not underpowered at all. All race buggies run .21s.

Ok Foxy, your really confusing me now! But seriously I can't stand when someone posts a thread like I did and ask for advice, only to completely ignore it and do what they were going to anyway. I wasn't crazy about the Associated you recommended but the Hyper 7 seemed like a better fit for what I want it for. My only issue was, is it as tough as the D8s. I know everyone has said it's very strong so I feel like it has earned a good reputation, this thread is not the first time I've heard people talk about it. Honestly I would have never wandered into this investigation if the D8s didn't look a little lacking in the engine dept. Unfortunately I've never seen one run, only videos. I'm not too concerned about not seeing one in person since its almost an exact copy of my friends Vorza which I've seen in person and think it is very hard to break. I do understand that most buggies run .21 engines but I think in this case the D8s seems much heavier than the completion. This doesn't bother me since I won't be racing, I just don't want it to be underpowered. Just looking at them, to me the D8s appears to be a heavier duty setup which is at led me to it. But the recommendations of the Hyper 7 have also sparked an interest especially with its bigger power plant and proven reliability. Thanks again for your continued interest in helping me make a decision.

side note about the hyper 7 they make a 2 speed kit for it i dont think any other 1/8 scale has that option

but the hyper 7 and d8s will both be good choices. like rccheech said do your research and pick whats best for you

IF you can get your handa on a <u>Losi 810</u> you should consider it. I've heard that can still be found. It's <u>lighting</u> quick and I can assure you that buggy is TOUGH. I've bashed the heck out of it, and still have boxes of stock/aftermarket parts I bought when I found it was discountinued.  You can still get parts easily online too.

I'll throw another one out there....the <u>Losi 8ight 2.0</u>. ASSUMING the RTR price goes down to the $400-$500 range. You can bash that thing all day. My son is racing one and he has had some absolutely horrific crashes with it (I'm talking slamming into iron fences six feet in the air, cart wheeling down the straight - you name it). The ONLY issues it's had is the exhaust post coming out, a broken wing, and a broken antenna tube. ;-) I really feel it is AS durable as the Hyper 7. </p>

You can't go wrong with either the hyper7 or the D8S. Personally, I'm partial to kyosho but their budget version from a few years ago cut some corners where I feel they shouldn't have (weaker differentials and .5mm thinner chassis plate).

I did not mean anything offensive by the redacat comment, other than they do not compare to other breeds, like you said if you know what you are buying then its not that bad, I did not mean to offend you in any way...If I did, I am sorry!!

As frustrating as my Exceed Forza is, I still believe the Exceed/RedCat market is good for "the hobby". I seriously doubt I would have ever started if my only options to start with were in the $300 range. With that, my only issue is that the manufacturers should not tout how "tough" the vehicles are....because we can all agree they are on the lower end of the spektrum with respect to durability (at least the entry level kits).